((PKG)) IRAQI REFUGEE ARTIST
((Banner: Refugee as Artist))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Riverdale, Maryland))
((AHMAD ALKARKHI, REFUGEE ARTIST FROM IRAQ))
The painting for me (is) like music. I don’t care about the color or the white canvas or board, because I just tell myself, let me dance with color on canvas. I graduate from University in Baghdad for art. And I have a lot of friend, my family there and all time when I do painting I remember my country. In my country, we don't have a lot of color there, just grey and brown. The reason I left my country because the war, because of the war. When the war begin in Iraq 2003, I moved to Syria. After that, I stayed in Syria and then I came to America 2009 with my wife and two kids. My day job I do maintenance. I fix many things like electric or something in apartment like door or window. When I have time, like if I have any space or any time, free time, I do my painting because I love painting a lot.
((Locater: Sandy Spring, Maryland))
((Banner: Ahmad Alkarkhi is one of the six refugee artists whose works are spotlighted at a museum exhibit in Sandy Spring, Maryland))
((NATS))
((ALLISON WEISS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SANDY SPRING MUSEUM))
There's so much talk in the news now about refugees and how many people we should let into the country and what are they contributing. And I think this exhibit shows that there's individuals behind the word refugees and they have all sorts of talents that maybe we're not hearing about from the news.
((AHMAD ALKARKHI, REFUGEE ARTIST FROM IRAQ))
This horse like refugees. Some, they come from Europe, some from Africa, some come from Middle East, and they coming here and they work together, live together and we need to send message for human beings. We different color but we need to help each other for this life. America give to refugee a lot of thing. I was famous in my country and I hope to become famous in this country. I hope one gallery, he say, come, I will be sponsor with you or I can work together with you, to do exhibit or to still work with this gallery because difficult of I find one gallery to work together. I want to do a beautiful painting and I give to this country and to people to enjoy with my art.
